|
Initial reports on the
December 2017 peak tourism month show high growth in
international arrivals, and an increase in visitors to
regions across the Western Cape. According to
Airports Company South Africa, Cape Town International
Airport registered 127 309 international arrivals for
December 2017, an 11,5% increase from December 2016.
Domestic arrivals by air dipped slightly by 2,2% to 389
324. It is anticipated that many local tourists chose to
use land travel to access the province.
Wesgro ¡V Cape Town and the Western Cape's Official
Tourism, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency ¡V spoke
to local tourism offices in the region to gain an
initial idea of how the province performed this past
December. Official statistics will be published by South
African Tourism at a later date.
Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities, Alan
Winde, welcomed initial reports of increases in regional
trips.
"The positive feedback received from these offices
points to a growth in geographic spread. More people are
getting out onto the open road and exploring the
diversity of attractions that are on offer across the
province."
The following is initial feedback received from local
ourism offices in some regions across the Cape:
¡@
- Swellendam noted an increase in tourists, with
regular return visitors from Cape Town.
- Wilderness/George noted an increase in tourists,
with a notable increase in visitors from the Middle
East.
- Mossel Bay and Knysna noted an increase in
tourists. Mossel Bay in particular noted an increase
in visitors from India.
- Grootbos Nature Reserve, in Gansbaai, registered
a positive peak season, with the majority of
international visitors emanating from Germany, the
United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Italy.
- Bredasdorp and Cape Agulhas reported positive
growth in tourist arrivals. Struisbaai had
approximately 20 000 people to its beaches.
L'Agulhas Lighthouse registered a 34,5% increase in
visitors.
- Barrydale recorded the highest number of
visitors to the town in the last two years.
- McGregor and Tulbagh both noted increases in
tourism figures. Tulbagh in particular noted an
increase in domestic visitors.
- Paternoster saw more local visitors during the
season to date, particularly from Gauteng and the
Western Cape; the leading international markets
remained Germany, Switzerland and Netherlands.
- Hermanus also recorded an increase in visitors,
retaining its normal European source market. Spain
was noted as a new emerging market.
- Lambert's Bay noted a 5% increase in their top
international markets ¡V the United Kingdom and the
Netherlands.
- Velddrif and Porterville both noted increases in
international visitors.
Full statistics for attractions in Cape Town are still
to be finalised and will be released once verified. Cape
Town Tourism CEO, Enver Duminy, noted that "Cape Town
remains a popular destination due to its natural beauty,
diverse tourist attractions and local culture. It is
also pleasing to see that water consumption in the city
remained the same despite increased numbers of tourists
in December. Thank you to all of our visitors and locals
for their water-saving efforts."¡@ |
